Jar closure



Oct.v 3Q, 1934. A. R. BAILEY 1,978,978

JAR CLOSURE Filed March l, 1955 Patented Oct. 30, 1934 f 1,978,978 Y JAR CLOSURE Albert R. Bailey, San Bernardino, Calif.

Application March 1, 1933, Serial No. 659,101

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in jar closures.

vAn object of the invention is to provide an improved type Aof jar closure designed to be applied to jars having threaded necks and which is so constructed as to enable the application of the closure to be accomplished quite easily even though the closure may be wet or hot, and which will maintain a tight seal but enable the closure to be removed easily at will.

` In prior jar closures there have been devised constructions wherein there is a cap applied over the mouth of the jar which is held in place by an annular retaining member which is threaded so as to be capable of being screwed onto the neck of the jar. In such constructions diiiiculty is frequently encountered in removing the retaining ginember, preparatory to removing the cap and thus opening the jar. This is due to a number of possiblecircumstances such as for exampley the contraction of the metal retaining member about the glass jar on cooling. Also if the contents of the jarhappen to be sirupy and some sirup is accidently lodged on the threads of the jar, this sirup on drying out acts as an adhesive to a certain extent, sticking the retaining member to the threads.

The present invention has for its object the overcoming of these difficulties, enabling the jar to be easily opened at will although preserving a tight seal prior to the deliberate opening.

With the foregoing Aand other objects in view, which will be made manifest in the following detailed description and specifically pointed out in the appended claims, reference is had to the accompanying vdrawing for an illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein:

Fig. l is a view in side elevation of a jar illustrating the improved jar closure as having been applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same.

Fig. 3 is a view in vertical section taken substantially upon the line 3 3 upon Figure 2.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken substantially upon the line 4-4 upon Figure 3.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of another form of jar closure embodying the invention.

Fig. 6 is a partial view in side elevation taken in the direction of the arrow 6 upon Figure 5.

Fig. 7 is a horizontal partial section illustrating another formembodying. the invention.

Fig. 8 is a vertical section taken substantially upon the line 8-8 upon Figure 7.

Y Referring to kthe accompanying drawing, wherein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout, 10 designates a jar, which may be formed of glass, and which it is desired to close. This may be a fruit canning jar as a typical example. This jar has a neck 1l terminating in a mouth 12 and the neck is provided with one or more integral threads 13 as is conventional. The improved jar closure in its preferred form consists of a metal cap 14 of such size and shape as to fit over the mouth oi the jar. This cap preferably has an annular groove 15 on its under surface and located near its edge in which a sealing medium 16, such as a rubber composition, may be disposed. It will be understood that in forcing this cap down against the mouth of the jar an air tight and liquid tight seal will be established by the composition 16 between the cap 14 and the mouth of the jar. As a means for retaining the cap in position, there is provided a retaining member 17 formed of metal. In its preferred form this retaining member is angular in cross section having an inwardly extending flange 18, which is beaded or corrugated as indicated at 19 for stiffening purposes. The cylindrical portion of the retaining member is threadedly corrugated, forming one or more threads 20 on its interior surface which are complementary to the threads 13 on the neck of the jar. This retaining member is split at one side, as indicated at 2l, and radially extending lips 22 and 23, which may be formed integral with the retaining member, extend outwardhr therefrom at the split. If desired, these lips may be separate pieces suitably attached to the retaining member. These lips are received within a clip 24 and are held thereby adjacent each other.

In applying the improved jar closure, the clip 24 is slipped onto lips 22 and 23, thus holding the adjacent ends of the retaining member together. Cap 14 is rst applied to the mouth of the jar and the retaining member is slipped thereover. It is then screwed down tight, forcing the cap 14 tightly against the mouth of the jar. Spreading or expansion of the retaining member is prevented by clip 24 so that a considerable torque may be applied to the retaining member in screwing it down on the neck of the jar. The radially extending lips, which are enclosed vwithin the clip 24, also afford an adequate purchase facilitating the tightening of the retaining member down on the neck of the jar. When the jar is thus closed, it is in condition to be stored away or packed. The fact that the lips 22 and 23, which are enclosed within lip 24, project a short distance beyond the sides of jar l0 is not considered detrimental inasmuch as these lips and clips will project into the space between cylindrical jars which may be stored or packed closely together.

When it is desired to open the jar, it is not necessary to attempt to unscrew the retaining member which, as previously explained, may be quite difficult for various reasons. It is merely necessary to pull clip 24 off of the lips 22 and 23, Whih lallows the retaining member to open or spread. In this way the retaining member can be easily loosened from the neck and removed therefrom. Removal of cap 14 after the retaining member has been removed is usually quite easily accomplished.

In Figures 5 and 6 a modified form of construction is disclosed wherein cap 25, which is similar to cap 14, is held in place by retaining member 26. This retaining member is very similar to retaining member 17 with the exception that its lip 27 is made quite long and reversely bent upon itself, as indicated at 28, and bent back to form a handle 29. The lips arranged at the split of the retaining member are received within the clip 30. 30 is applied tothe lips to` hold the retaining member against expansion in applying the closure. To open the closure it is merely necessary to radially slide the clip- 30 off of the lips, permit- "m: provided which enables the retaining member to ting `the retaining member to spread. lIn the event that a sirup forms part of the contents of the jar and has become spilled on the threads on the'neck, and on drying has acted as an adhesive, handle 29 facilitates peeling the retaining member from the threaded neck. This is accomplished mere-ly by pushing with the thumb against the concave side of the handle and as the effect ofthis push is to cause the retaining member to move radially away from the neck beginning with the handled end, the retaining member can be quite easily peeled away from the threaded neck, breaking the adhesive bond formed by the sirup.

In Figures 7 and 8 a modiiied form of the invention is disclosed which is advantageous in that the clip is permanently associated with the retaining member so that it cannot become lost. In this form of construction there is a retaining member 40 which is similar in construction to the retaining member previously described. This retaining member retains the cap 4l over the mouth of the jar. It is provided with two lips 42 and 43 which lips, as clearly shown in Figure 7, are of unequal length. Lip 42, which is the longer, has a horizontally extending slot 45 formed therein whilethe shorter lip 42 has its outer end bifurcated as indicated at 46 with the bifurcation disposed in registration with the slot 45. The clip which is receivable over the two lips to hold the retaining member in contracted position, and which is indicated at 47, has a transversely extending rivet or pin 48` extending through the slot 45 and through the bifurcation 46. It will be noted that in this construction the clip 47 is permanently associated with lip 43 but by sliding it radially outward on this lip the inner end of the clip will pass beyond the outer edge of lip 42, thus releasing lip 42 and allowing the retaining' member to open. In this form of construction the advantages are substantially the same as those previously described with the additional advantage that the clip is permanently associated with the retaining member so that it cannot become lost. Obviously the retaining member can be brought back into contracted position bymerely bringing the lips together while the clip is in its outermost position and then forcing the clip 47 inwardly into the vposition shown.

From the above described constructions it will be appreciated that an improved jar closure is tighten down the cap as tightly and as thoroughly as can `be 4accomplished by annular or unsplit In this construction, as before, the clip retaining members. A tight closure is preserved but it is possible to: easily remove this closure at will by merely slipping the holding clip oi of the lips on the retaining member at the split.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction lwithout departing from the spirit and scope of my invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A jar closure comprising a cap adapted to be placed over the mouth of a jar having a threaded neck, a split circular threaded retaining member adapted to be screwed on the jar to hold the cap in position, said retaining member having radially extending lips extending outwardly at its ends, and means receiving said lips and radially slidable thereon for releasably holding the ends of the retaining member together.

2. A jar closure comprising a cap adapted to be placed over the mouth of a jar having a threaded neck, a split circular threaded retaining member adapted to be screwed on the jar to hold the cap in position, said retaining member having radially extending lips at its ends, means receiving said lips and releasably holding the ends of the retaining member together, and a handle carried by said retaining member adjacent one end thereof for facilitating separation of the ends of the retaining member and facilitating separation of the retaining member from the neck of the jar.

3. A jar closure comprising a cap adapted to be placed over the mouth of a jar having a threaded neck, a split circularthreaded retaining member adapted to be screwed on the jar to hold the cap in position, said retaining member having radially extending lips at its ends, and a clip permanently associated with one lip and movable thereon in a radial plane, adapted to engage the other lip to hold the retaining member in contracted position or to release said other lip to allow the retaining'member to expand.

4. A jar closure comprising a cap adapted to be placed over the mouth of a jar having a threaded neck, a split circular threaded retaining member adapted to be screwed on the jar to hold the cap in position, said retaining member having radially extending lips extending outwardly at its ends, and a clip enclosing said lips and radially slidable thereon for releasably holding the ends of the retaining member together. v 5. A jar closure comprising a cap adapted to be placed over the mouth of a jar having a threaded neck, a split circular threaded retaining member adapted toV be screwed on the jar to hold the cap in position, said retaining member having radially extending lips at its ends, one of the lips being longer than the other, and a clipmounted for limited sliding movement upon the long lip adapted to be caused to engage the other lip, to releasably hold the ends of the retaining member' together.

6. A jar closure comprising a cap adapted to be placed over the mouth of a jar having a threaded neck, a split circular threaded retaining member adapted to be screwed on the jar to hold the cap in position, said retaining member havradiallyvextending lips at its ends, and means permanently but movably mounted upon one lip adapted to engage the other lip to releasably hold the ends of the retaining member together.

ALBERT R.y BAILEY. 

